Fresh from their success at the NSBA championships in Kilkenny last month, the O’Keeffe family were again out in force to take the top position at the NSBA interbreed championship at Clonmel Show.

The farming duo of Arthur and Patrick O’Keeffe, based in Mallow, Co Cork, took both the overall champion and reserve championship at the NSBA awards last month. Continuing their dominance with a different show team, the group claimed the top spot again in Clonmel.

Reserve champion from Colin Stephenson. pioctured with NSBA president Robin Darker and judge TJ Gormley.

Judge TJ Gormley had a tough job in separating the 14 different breeds put forward, but eventually tapped forward the Texel shearling ewe as his overall champion.

This shearling ewe was champion in Cork two weeks ago and also placed first in the junior ewe lamb class in Kilkenny last year. She is sired by Welsh ram Wydden Arbenig and is out of a homebred ewe by Clkaybury Warrior.

Standing reserve was the Zwartbles champion from Colin Stephenson, Baltinglass, Co Wicklow. This well-grown ewe, Hilltop F6, is sired by Hillview Excell and was purchased from a Galway-based flock last year.